Spanish New Era

Dearest Family, 

This was one of the best weeks ever! We have just had some way funny times and that makes it lovely to be alive. 

On Monday, we just had some shopping and normal P-day type stuff to do. I don't think we even got anything cool, but in any case we went to the Cloetes’ for dinner in West Wemyss (cutest little town ever) and it was a good time. Then we taught J-- in a park. He told us all about his preacher, Pastor Joseph, who told him to put the Book of Mormon in the bin.  But James isn’t going back to that church because he knows the Book of Mormon is true. That was great.

On Tuesday, we did some good chapping and we had a Europe Area Conference for all the sisters in the Europe Area. That was so cool! Elder Bednar spoke and so did M. Russell Ballard (whom Elder Bednar called "The Grandfather of the Church"). My favorite part was when Elder Bednar was talking about the other members of the Twelve. He said, "I know them, you don't; they are better in private than they are in public." He was so relaxed and wonderful! I love when apostles start out a sermon with, "This is just my opinion, it's not church doctrine," because you can guarantee you're going to learn something cool. 

Wednesday was Zone/Interview Training, grossly abbreviated as ZIT, and it was a pleasure, as always, to speak with President Brown. Sister Johnson and I also got to do a bit of training (10 minutes) on accountability. We talked about the WHY of accountability. Accountability is really important because people are important. So we illustrated with an activity.  To Elder Cusick we gave a spoon with a bunch of skittles and told him to run as fast as he could around the room. To Elder Goldie we gave a spoon with some skittles and said to go as slow as he needed but that the skittles were important and all eight needed to stay on the spoon. Afterwards, we talked about how the skittles represented people, and how really we do everything we can because the PEOPLE are important. If we make it to the finish line with only one skittle, we're still successful. If we race around and squander our stewardship or skittles, we have wasted our opportunities and won't desire to account to our leaders or the Lord.

After Conference, we taught J-- the Law of Tithing with the bishop. That was a good time. 

Thursday was Belle's birthday and we celebrated by teaching some wonderful friends! We taught A--, AK's friend, who is doing really well. We had sort of an intense lesson about reading the Book of Mormon, and since then she's been reading.  We're watching “The Prophet of the Restoration” this week. I can't wait! It is going to be wonderful. 

We also finished organizing all of our potential investigators this week. For whatever reason, nobody has organized these up until now, so we had potentials from 2010 that hadn't been marked “taught” or “contacted” or anything. We put them on cards based by area and we'll try by them and try to do them all. So that is a good time but sometimes organizing is less fun than teaching. Still, it will be a more productive way to do the work than merely chapping. 

On Friday, I fulfilled one of my Mission Bucket List items--I GQ'd (Golden Question/Contacted) somebody sitting in a car! He was waiting for somebody and so we stopped and talked with him. He's Muslim and pretty nice and we're seeing him this week. He was cool, so hooray for R--!

On Saturday we went over to Frances (Sister Brown's mum) and had our usual meeting except that her nonmember oldest daughter and husband were there! They were asking the hard questions that I thought I'd get on my mission--like "Why don't you believe in the trinity like I do?"--and not the typical ones that we actually get like, "What is God?" Haha. Anyway it was a good chat and although they aren't super interested, that was a little seed planted in their hearts to be either harvested later or left--completely left up to them!

J-- also got his interview on Saturday night, and although Elder Lattin could understand like .8 percent of what he said, he thinks he's ready. So J-- will be getting baptized this next Wednesday and that will be lovely.

We also took our lunch break to watch "The Mailbox" which is so sad! And we got these filled rolls to eat, because we've laughed for ages while passing a restaurant called "Probably the Best Filled Rolls in Fife." Since I haven't had any other filled rolls in Fife, they were probably the best! (Filled role definition: Roll with something like tuna, coronation chicken, other like condiments on it.)

Kirk was lovely yesterday, and after we were able to teach our funny friend, C--. She met us last week and we were able to teach her a bit about the Book of Mormon and prayer yesterday. After we read the first paragraph of the Book of Mormon Introduction, she was like, "What the h*** did that mean?" She has kind of funny language and swears a whole lot, but she's sincere and so that was really funny. 

F-- got his haircut and is just looking like he has the gift of the Holy Ghost. It's amazing that it really is so noticeable and he looks amazing. He is just so convinced that I stayed in Kirkcaldy to meet him and Sister Johnson came in to meet him. He is absolutely the best and understands more than anyone! I love him!!!!!

Suffice it to say, Missionary Life is the best!!

I love you all and hope each of you has a wonderful, awe-inspiring, week! Keep on keepin' on! 

Love,

Sister Ricks

Oh, and also J-- downloaded the Spanish version of the 1971 Ensign. He's a character. I guess you kind of have to know him, but he's just really funny and perhaps not there all of the way.